This invention relates to apparatus employed in the building construction industry and more particularly to stiffener apparatus for stabilizing a hanger rod employed to hold or support pipes, conduits or other components of a building from building structure.
Various types of assemblies or devices have been devised for stabilizing or stiffening hanger rods, for example, for seismic bracing purposes. Such devices are often, but not always, associated with multi-directional bracing for electrical conduit, cable trays and mechanical piping systems.
One common type of hanger rod stiffener assembly is that exemplified by the SC228 hanger rod assembly and the B22 channel combination made available by B-Line Systems, Inc. of Franklin Park, Ill. in which a clamp is disposed inside the channel rod stiffener to capture the threaded hanger rod and stiffen it.
Another well known approach that is that exemplified by the SC-UB hanger rod stiffener assembly utilized with the B22 channel, also made available by B-Line Systems, Inc. wherein a U-bolt is connected to a flat two-hole plate by hex nuts, the threaded hanger rod being captured between the rounded portion of the U-bolt and the channel.
It is also known to use bolts similar to U-bolts but which are straight, rather than curved, at the closed end thereof, the straight closed end being orthogonal to the threaded legs of the bolt. Hanger rod slippage is a problem with this arrangement.
Prior art hanger rod stabilizer assemblies or devices have certain inherent limitations. For example, they are often restricted as to size and the same assembly can not be used for both large and small diameter rods. Virtually all such devices must utilize channel or uni-strut material as the stiffener component per se. Channels can, once they get to be a certain length, also become structurally unstable.
It is also known to weld a hanger rod to a stiffener. This is time consuming and expensive. Furthermore, such a connection is permanent and the stiffener is not removable from the rod once welded into place.
The invention disclosed and claimed in my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/610,510, filed Jul. 6, 2000, relates to apparatus used to stiffen both large and small diameter rods; that is, one side of rod stiffener apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention of application Ser. No. 09/610,510 accommodates itself to many different hanger rod sizes. In addition, stiffeners other than open channels may be employed with such an arrangement. For example, pipes or square or other rectangular-shaped tubes may be utilized as stiffeners.
According to the arrangement of my above-referenced, co-pending patent application, a clamp is provided having two straight, double-ended, spaced, parallel first and second clamp segments threaded over at least portions of the length thereof and a third clamp segment integral with and extending between ends of the first and second clamp segments. Also included in the apparatus is a plate defining spaced openings. Ends of the first and second clamp segments remote from the third clamp segment project through the spaced openings and nuts are threadedly engaged therewith.
An elongated stiffener member is disposed between the plate and the third clamp segment for engaging a hanger rod extending parallel to the elongated stiffener member and cooperable with the clamp to maintain the hanger rod in a predetermined position relative to the elongated stiffener and the clamp. At least a portion of the third clamp segment is straight, non-orthogonally disposed relative to the first and second clamp segments, and cooperable with the elongated stiffener member to continuously exert lateral forces on the hanger rod continuously urging the hanger rod toward the predetermined position when the hanger rod is clamped between the clamp and the elongated stiffener member.
The present invention also relates to rod stiffener apparatus utilized to stabilize a hanger rod and which is readily useable to stiffen both large and small diameter rods. In addition, stiffeners other than open channels may be employed. For example, pipes or square or other rectangular-shaped tubes may be utilized. The stiffener apparatus may incorporate clamps of both conventional and non-conventional construction. For example, the invention may be utilized with a clamp having a third clamp segment or end segment orthogonally disposed relative to the parallel legs of first and second clamp segments of the clamp or a clamp with a rounded end. The apparatus of this invention can also utilize clamps similar to those disclosed in my above-referenced co-pending application which utilize third clamp segments (end segments) at least partially non-orthogonally disposed relative to the legs of the clamp.
The clamp employed in the stiffener apparatus of the present invention has two straight, double-ended, spaced first and second clamp segments threaded over at least portions of the lengths thereof. The clamp also includes a third clamp segment or end segment integral with and extending between ends of the first and second clamp segments.
At least one plate is provided defining spaced openings, the first and second clamp segments received in the spaced openings with ends of the first and second clamp segments remote from the third clamp segment projecting from the spaced openings. The at least one plate defines an indent.
Nuts are threadedly engaged with the ends of the first and second clamp segments to connect the clamp to the at least one plate.
An elongated stiffener member is disposed in a space between the at least one plate and the third clamp segment, the at least one plate for engaging a hanger rod extending parallel to said elongated stiffener member with said hanger rod disposed in the indent to maintain the hanger rod in a predetermined position relative to the elongated stiffener member and the clamp.
Other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.